NOTHING says luxury better than a glass of Champagne.

Nick Mosley takes the train to Reims to crack open a bottle or two of the king of wines

REIMS has a long and dignified history, which is still evident in the elegant Second Empire and Beaux Arts period buildings and towering gothic cathedral resplendent with a glorious apse window created by Russian artist Marc Chagall.

The city was a key trading post for the Romans, and their legacy can be still seen in the heart of the city at the Forum square and large parts of the cellars of the Vranken Pommery estate on the southern edge of the city, which are the results of the removal of chalk for roads and buildings more than 2,000 years ago.

It is this very chalk that we can thank for Champagne, and a happy coincidence that the main three grape varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier all thrive on these soils, lapping up the warm sunny days and cool nights offered by the gently rolling hills of this region.

The caves and tunnels carved from the soft chalk provide an ideal naturally constant temperature and humidity environment which is perfect for storing and ageing the wines.

The tunnels under the two largest grand marque estates of Moët et Chandon and Vranken Pommery alone each extend to for further than 20km, providing storage for millions of bottles.

While a sparkling wine, Champagne can only be called Champagne when it is produced from grapes grown in designated areas around Reims and Épernay about 60km north east of Paris.

Champagne is produced by what’s known in the trade as the “traditional method”, involving two fermentations.

Grapes are hand picked and go through their first fermentation in stainless steel tanks to avoid tainting the flavour of the juice in any way. Once the grapes have gone through their first fermentation the juice is bottled.

Then the magic happens, as a small amount of yeast and extra sugar is added before a crown cap seals the bottle and it’s laid down for a minimum of three years.

After this the wine is riddled (rotated) daily and disgorged to remove the residual yeast before a dosage – typically a final top up of wine and sugar – is added before the bottle is finally sealed with the familiar cork and cage.

The French would claim that the revered Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon created the sparkling wine we know as Champagne, but the second fermentation had been known about for centuries.

The problem was that containing the pressure caused by the gases of the second fermentation proved a huge challenge.

Glass vessels were too imperfect meaning as the pressure built they would crack and explode.

It was arguably an English scientist named Christopher Merret who realised the higher quality glass produced in the coal furnaces of northern England could safely contain the six bar pressure that builds in the bottle; that’s significantly more pressure than you’ll find in a modern bus tyre to give you an idea of what these wine pioneers were having to contend with.

Champagne produced from pure Chardonnay is known as blanc de blanc (white of white), whereas a blend of the two red grapes is called blanc de noir (white of black) as the juice of these grapes is actually white.

The colour of a red wine actually comes from the skin not the juice and Champagne grapes are very carefully pressed so the juice and skins are cleanly separated.

Uniquely in the wine world, rosé Champagne can be made by adding red wine to the blend of white juice.

Most of the Champagne we drink is a combination of the three main grapes – and also fermented juice from previous years that is stored – which gives consistency in taste year in, year out.

That’s why your Pommery or Moët et Chandon always has the same flavour profile.

All of the main Champagne houses offer guided tours of their cellars and vineyards.

While there is clearly common ground between them in terms of how traditional method Champagne is produced, each grand marque has a uniquely fascinating human story too that is often worthy of a soap opera.

The marriages of the Moët et Chandon families led to them becoming the largest and most influential producer in the world with the prestigious Ruinart, Dom Pérignon, Krug and Veuve Clicquot all under its umbrella.

Meanwhile Louise Pommery was a woman well ahead of her time who was widowed at a young age and went on to create a business empire with distribution that spanned the globe, the legacy of which can still be seen in the names of cellars ranging from Buenos Aires to Bristol.

Madame Pommery’s passion for art can also still be seen in the cellars of the house she founded with a new artist commissioned each year to create inspiring, unexpected and fantastical artworks found throughout the cellars.

I must say I wasn’t expecting to see a full sized bouncy castle in a wine cellar 60 metres under Reims.

Of course, the home of Champagne also offers an impressive choice of gastronomy too.

Michelin stars, bibs and plates abound across the region.

Highlights include Le Jardin les Crayères opposite the Vranken Pommery estate, and Le Bocal – a fishmonger and seafood restaurant –opposite the market hall in Rue de Mars, with its many traditional and contemporary café-bars and restaurants.

Whether you enjoy wine or are a true oenophile, Reims is both a fascinating and friendly city with plenty of sights and tastes to keep you sated and entertained.

And let’s face it, its a great excuse to enjoy a glass or two of the good stuff too – should you ever need an excuse.

How to get there

Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord from £60 return if booked well in advance at www.eurostar.com

TGV from Paris de Gare L’Est to Reims from 35 euros one way purchased at the station.

Vranken Pommery Cellars Art of Champagne tour including tasting of two glasses of Champagne, 30 euros bookable in advance at www.pommery.tickeasy.com.

Moët et Chandon’s Grand Vintage cellar tour including two glasses of Champagne 40 euros bookable in advance www.moet.com.

Appart’City Confort hotel in Reims city centre from 50 euros a night – www.appartcity.com.